Apparatus and method for handling books and the like



June 2, 1970 Filed Aug. 21, 1967 E. K. SMITH ET AL 3 ,515,257

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING BOOKS AND THE LIKE 4 SheetsSheet 2 III-l I mll-ll-ll IiI -I-III. u-' i.

INVENTORS EDWIN K. SMITH CLINTON F BRUNDACE l2 BY m difmwz ATTOR E'YS June 2, 1970 K s l ET AL 3,515,257

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING BOOKS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 21, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS EDWIN K SMITH CLINTON F. BRUNDAGE MAJ moazns June 2, 1970 s rr ET AL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING BOOKS" AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 11;

Filed Aug. 21, 1967 .INVENTORS L ,kllplr llllll E G A 0 N H MR B .F K N 0 N N W] DIL EC Y B 5% Mm INTO Z3;

June 2, 1970 s rr ET AL 3,515,257

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING BOOKS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 21, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet i INVENTORS EDWIN K. SMITH CLINTON F. BRUNDAGE ATTORNEYS United States Patent APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING BOOKS AND THE LIKE Edwin K. Smith, Haworth, and Clinton F. Brundage,

Mahwah, N.J., assignors to Miehle-Goss-Dexter Incorporated, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 661,904 Int. Cl. B65g 15/00, 37/00 US. Cl. 198102 24 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to apparatus and method for handling and transporting articles such as signatures, page blocks, books, magazines and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide novelly constructed saddle type conveyor means for articles of the above character.

Another object is to provide novel conveyor means of the above type whereby a plurality of saddle blades are carried in an endless path in a vertical plane without appreciably varying the orientation of the blades in said plane.

A further object is to provide novel pusher-type conveyor means operable in a novel manner in combination with a saddle type conveyor for removing articles from the latter.

Still another object of the invention is to provide novel apparatus of the above character which is of simplified construction and is more compact than prior known apparatus capable of the same functions.

A still further object is to provide novel apparatus for applying casings or covers to book blocks more rapidly than has been heretofore possible with apparatus of comparable size.

Another object is to provide novel apparatus of the above character which is readily operatively associated with other book making apparatus for performing preceding and subsequent operations in the making of books and the like to thus facilitate automation in the fabrication thereof.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following detail description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views;

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view partly in section and with parts broken away of one form of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail side elevation view, with parts broken away, of the saddle conveyor mechanism as viewed from line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view taken approximately on line 33 of FIG. 1 to more clearly illustrate the mounting of the book saddles, thev gears and sprockets being shown in side elevation;

FIG. 4 is a plan view taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIG. 1 primarily illustrating the delivery station at which the articles are removed from and carried out of the path of the saddle conveyor blades;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail side view of a part of the delivery station taken substantially on line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the driving gear train for the stripper conveyor, partly in section taken on line 77 of FIG. 4.

A single embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings, by way of example, as embodied in apparatus adapted for applying cases or covers to book page blocks or the like and delivering the same in rapid succession with backs uppermost for transfer to other book making equipment. In the form shown, the apparatus comprises a novelly constructed endless saddle conveyor having two endless chains 10 and 11 in spaced parallel vertical planes. Each chain is supported by three relatively small idler sprockets 12 and one relatively large driven sprocket 14 in a substantially rectangular confiuration (FIG. 1), chain 10 being mounted an appreciable distance higher than chain 11 but on identical sprockets in identical configuration. Power for driving both chains 10 and 11 continuously at the same speed is transmitted from a suitable source to sprockets 14, 14 through meshing gears 15, 1 6 and 17, 18, respectively, said sprockets being rigidly connected with gears 17, 18 (FIGS. land 3).

A plurality of saddle plates 19 are mounted in spaced relation in cantilever fashion in a novel manner on chains 10 and 11 whereby the orientation of said saddles and books thereon remains fixed throughout each cycle of operation. As viewed in FIG. 1, the lower right corner of each saddle plate 19 is rigidly secured to one end of a stud 20 (FIG. 2) which is journalled in a pair of oppositely disposed special links 21 of chain 10. A rigid arm 22 has a split hub portion 23 at its upper end securely clamped and keyed to the projecting other end of stud 20 between chains 10 and 11. At its opposite or lower end, said arm has a hub 24 that receives and is secured to one end of a pin 25 which has its other end journalled in oppositely disposed special links 26, 26 of chain 11. The axis of each stud 20 is in the same vertical plane as the axis of its corresponding pin 25 when they are in the vertically disposed reaches of chains 10 and 11 and the distance between the centers of stud 20 and pin 25 of each saddle mounting is equal to the vertical displacement of chains 10 and 11 so that each arm 22 remains at all times in a vertical position, and the saddle 19 secured thereto is thus fixedly oriented in its vertical plane at all times during a full cycle of operation.

As viewed in FIG. 1, saddle conveyor chains 10 and 11 are driven in a clockwise direction so that the book saddles 19 carried by the left-hand vertical reaches of the chains are moved upwardly. At the beginning of its upward run, each saddle is directed into the center of a book block 27, shown in phantom, which has been moved horizontally with its back or spine uppermost into position in the path of the saddle by any suitable known infeed machine or by hand. The book block may then be carried upwardly on saddle 19 through a known type of glue or paste applying station (not shown) and then caused to entrain a case or cover which has been placed or fed into its path by hand or by means and in a manner well known in the art. The covered. or encased book is then conveyed horizontally by the saddle across the top of the conveyor and thence downwardly on the righthand reaches of the conveyor chains (FIG. 1). If desired, the free left-hand edge of the saddle 19 may be guided and thus steadied during its downward run in the groove of a vertical track 28 (FIGS. 1 and Suitable guides 29, 30 (FIG. 5) may be provided at opposite sides of the saddle path to confine the books and hold the pages thereof in closed position against the saddle. Guide plate 30 is preferably pivotally mounted near its upper edge and is laterally adjustable at its lower end through the medium of a slotted bracket and a winged set screw to accommodate books of different thicknesses. Guide plate 29 is vertically adjustable with the stripping mechanism hereinafter described and which also carries a short guide plate 30' that complements plate 30. Guide 30' and the lower end of guide 29 are also adjustable toward and away from slot 32 to provide for the passage of books of varying thicknesses.

Novel means operable in cooperation and timed relation with the above-described saddle conveyor are provided for removing the covered books from the conveyor without stopping the latter or varying the speed thereof. In the form shown, said means comprises a horizontal stripper plate 31 having a centrally disposed narrow slot 32 in the path of the saddle blades 19. The slot is sufficiently wide to pass the saddle blades but too narrow to pass the books carried downwardly thereby between guides 29, 30, 30. Thus, books are successively deposited, on edge with spines uppermost, on the upper surface of plate 31 astraddle slot 32. Slotted plate or platform 31 may be mounted on the frame of the machine for vertical adjustment with guide plates 29 and 30' to better enable the machine to accommodate books of different widths from front to spine. Such adjustment may be accomplished in any known manner as by means of a rack and pinion. As illustrated, the stripper plate slides on a fixed vertical post 80 and is guided also by a rib and slot at 81 (FIG. 4).

It now becomes necessary to quickly remove each book deposited on stripper 31 from the path of the succeeding saddle 19. This function is accomplished by novel means comprising an endless chain type pusher conveyor (FIG. 4). As illustrated, the latter includes an endless chain 33 supported and driven in a horizontal plane by sprockets 34 and 35. The chain is preferably continuously driven in a clockwise direction (FIG. 4) by means hereinafter described, and the speed thereof is preferably varied periodically during each cycle in a manner and for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The reaches of chain 33 between said sprockets preferably run in channel guides or tracks 36 and 37.

A plurality of book pushers 38 in the form of bell cranks are pivotally mounted on the upper surface of chain 33 and are normally urged by resilient means, such as springs 39, to a limiting position A relative to the outer I I or return reach of the chain. Each pusher comprises a book engaging arm 40 and a cam follower arm 41, the former carrying a pad 42 and the latter a roller 42. As each pusher 38 is carried around sprocket 34, its roller 43 engages and follows the vertical edge of a stationary cam 44. The cam exerts little, if any, influence on the pusher until the latter reaches a position B at which roller 43 rides onto the cam surface 45. Accordingly, during the next relatively short movement of the pusher by the chain beyond position B, the cam causes the pusher to pivot rapidly in a clockwise direction (FIG. 4) to a position C such that the arm 40 extends outwardly at a right angle to the inner straight reach of chain 33. The roller 43 then runs off of cam 45 onto an elongated straight rail 46 (FIGS. 1 and 6) which maintains the pusher in position C so that pad 42 engages the left end of a book deposited on stri per plate 31 and pushes it to the right (FIG. 4) onto a delivery conveyor 47 which may be of any suitable known type. Pushers are timed to engage the books deposited on plate 31 immediately after the upper edge of the saddle 19 has proceeded downwardly beyond the path of pad 42 and to move the book quickly out of the path of the oncoming saddle. If desired, the lower edge of pad 42 may be slotted as shown to straddle the upper edge of the saddle. 'In the form illustrated, the saddle conveyor is equipped with seven equally spaced saddles 19, and pusher conveyor 33 is provided with three equally spaced pushers or flight fingers 38. There is, however, no critical relationship between the number of saddles and the numbers of pushers.

As illustrated, delivery conveyor 47 is also of the pusher type comprising two driven endless chains 48 carrying spaced bails or pushers 49 which engage the trailing edges of the books and push the same along platform 50. Conveyor 33, 38 and conveyor 47 are driven in timed relation with each other so that each book is entrained by a pusher bail 49 as the corresponding pusher 38 approaches sprocket 35 and is about to be carried around the latter and hence, laterally away from the book path. To facilitate withdrawal of the pushers 38 from the book path, the track 46 against which roller 43 is held by spring 39 is shaped to form a small cam lobe 51. Thereafter, the track diverges away from the book path as seen at 52. As roller 43 passes over lobe 51, the bell crank pusher 38 is first pivoted clockwise to thereby move the book a short distance forward at a greater speed than the speed of chain 33. Immediately thereafter the chain starts to carry the pusher around sprocket 35 and spring 39 Pivots pusher 38 counterclockwise to the extent permitted by the diverging track portion 52. Thus, pusher arm 40, 42 is withdrawn from the book path without interference from the book it has just pushed onto conveyor 47. When roller 43 leaves track 52 the spring 39 further pivots pusher 38 counterclockwise to a position A in relation to chain 33 in preparation for the beginning of another cycle.

In order to minimize the length of stripper conveyor 33, 38 and also to rapidly remove stripped books from the path of the relatively closely spaced saddles 19 for attaining maximum production speed, chains 33 are driven at a cyclically varying speed. The chains and, hence, pushers 38 are driven at relatively high speed while each pusher is removing a book from the saddle plate path and at a relatively slow speed as each book is being transferred from conveyor 33, 38 to conveyor 47, 49. This variable conveyor speed is effected by means of an eccentric coupling in gear casing 56 between the main drive shaft and sprocket 34. The connection to shaft 55 comprises a timing belt or chain 57 which drives a vertical shaft 58 that is in turn coupled to shaft 59 through a suitable overload clutch 60. A plate 61 (FIG. 7) having a radial slot 62 in the upper face thereof is mounted on the upper end of shaft 59 in gear box 56. A crank arm 63 on a stub shaft 64 which is eccentric to shaft 59 has a roller or block 65 thereon that engages slot 62. A pinion 66 on shaft 64 meshes with pinion 67 on shaft 68 on which sprocket 34 is mounted. Thus, for each revolution of plate 61 and, hence, of crank 63, the angular speed of sprocket 34 will vary gradually from minimum to maximum and back to minimum. The gear ratio is such that during each such cycle each pusher 38 will move a distance equal to the spacing between successive pushers. The timing is such that the pushers are moved at the higher speed while one is pushing a book out of the path of the saddles 19 and, advantageously, at the slower speed when a book is being transferred to conveyor 47, the speed of which matches the slower speed of conveyof 33 at the time of transfer. The pushers 49 are spaced to engage the books at approximately the same time or slightly before they are disengaged by pushers 38. This co operation of the two conveyors makes it possible to minimize the spacing between the books as the same are carried by conveyor 47 to a machine for performing the next operation in the fabrication of a completed book.

Although only a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not specifically limited thereto. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, various changes maybe made in the individual components and the arrangement of parts illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for handling books and the like comprising continuously operating endless conveyor means having spaced book carrying saddles movable in a closed path in a vertical plane, means for stripping books from the saddles at a predetermined station as the saddles move successively past said station, and continuously operating endless conveyor means for moving said books in said plane out of the path of said saddles.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for stripping books comprises a platform on which the books are deposited in on-edge position.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said platform has a slot in the path of the saddles.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said secondnamed conveyor means comprises an endless belt mounted in a horizontal plane and a pusher pivotally mounted on said belt for operatively engaging books deposited on said platform, whereby said books are moved out of the path of said saddles.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 comprising means for guiding and supporting said books on edge for movement by said second-named conveyor means.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 comprising means for driving said firstand second-named conveyor means in timed relation whereby each book deposited on said platform from one saddle is removed from the saddle path before the arrival of the succeeding saddle.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said pusher is a bell-crank, one arm of which engages the books when the pusher is in operative position and further comprising resilient means urging said bell-crank to a predetermined inoperative position relative to the belt, cam means engageable by the other arm of said pusher for pivoting the latter from said inoperative position to said operative position, and a track engageable by said other arm for positively holding said pusher in said operative position in opposition to said resilient means.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein the end portion of said track adjacent the delivery end of said secondnamed conveyor means is contoured to slightly pivot said pusher sharply in further opposition to said resilient means and to thereafter permit said resilient means to gradually pivot said pusher to said inoperative position.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said firstnamed conveyor means comprises a pair of endless belts mounted in spaced parallel planes.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein at least one of said belts is a chain.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said belts are mounted in vertical planes in generally rectangular configuration with corresponding vertical reaches thereof parallel and with the horizontal reaches of one belt olfset vertically from corresponding horizontal reaches of the other belt.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 11 comprising means for pivotally mounting each said saddle on one of said belts and a crank connecting the pivotal axis of said lastnamed means to the other of said belts, said crank having an effective arm equal to said vertical offset of the belts.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 9* wherein said belts are mounted in substantially identical configurations in said planes, one said belt being offset in one direction from the other belt, and comprising means for mounting said saddles on said belts whereby the orientation of each saddle remains substantially fixed in said plane of the path thereof during the entire cycle of operation of said first-named conveyor means.

14. In apparatus for fabricating books and the like, saddle conveyor means comprising a pair of endless chains mounted in spaced parallel planes and having identical, vertically-offset quadrilateral configurations in said planes, two parallel reaches of one said chain and the corresponding reaches of the other chain being respectively in parallel vertical planes perpendicular to said spaced planes, a book saddle, and means for so mounting the book saddle on said chains that the saddle is fixedly oriented in space during a complete cycle of operation of said chains, said saddle being mounted cantilever fashion with the broad surface of the blade thereof parallel to and outside the space between the planes of said chains to move in a closed path in a vertical plane containing said broad surface of the blade.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14 comprising a horizontal platform having a vertical slot for passing the blade of said saddle and stripping a book therefrom as the blade descends.

16. Apparatus for handling books and the like comprising a continuously operating endless saddle conveyor having a downwardly moving vertical reach and spaced cantilever-mounted saddle blades, a horizontal platform having a slot for permitting the passage of said blades on said downwardly moving reach, whereby to deposit books from astraddle said blades onto said platform in on-edge position, and continuously operating endless conveyor means having pusher fingers for engaging books deposited on said platform to slide the same on-edge along the platform out of the path of said saddle blades.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein each said saddle blade is fixedly oriented in space and carried by the saddle conveyor in a closed path in a vertical plane with a broad surface of the blade in said plane.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 16 comprising means for continuously driving said saddle conveyor at a constant speed.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said endless conveyor means comprises an endless chain mounted in a horizontal plane.

20. Apparatus for handling books and the like comprising a continuously operating endless saddle conveyor having a downwardly moving vertical reach and spaced cantilever-mounted saddle blades, a horizontal platform having a slot for permitting the passage of said blades on said downwardly moving reach, whereby to deposit books from astraddle said blades onto said platform in on-edge position, continuously operating endless conveyor means having pusher fingers for engaging books deposited on said platform to slide the same on-edge along the platform out of the path of said saddle blades, and means for continuously driving said conveyor means at a cyclically variable speed, whereby the books are pushed from the path of the saddle blades during intervals when said conveyor means is moving at the greater speed.

21. Apparatus for handling books and the like comprising a continuously operating endless saddle conveyor having a downwardly moving vertical reach and spaced cantilever-mounted saddle blades, a horizontal platform having a slot for permitting the passage of said blades on said downwardly moving reach, whereby to deposit books from astraddle said blades onto said platform in on-edge position, continuously operating endless conveyor means comprising an endless chain mounted in a horizontal plane and having pusher fingers pivotally mounted on said chain for engaging books deposited on said platform to slide the same on-edge along the platform out of the path of said saddle blades.

22. Apparatus as defined in claim 21 comprising resilient means for urging said pusher fingers to inoperative position relative to the chain.

23. Apparatus as defined in claim 22 comprising stationary cam means for restoring said pusher fingers to operative position for engaging and pushing a book.

24. Apparatus as defined in claim 23 comprising stationary track means along one reach of the chain for maintaining said pusher fingers in operative position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 3,009,180 11/1961 Schramm 113 3,362,521 1/1968 Thorp 198133 EDWARD A. SROKA, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

